"Alger Jr, Horatio - Joe the Hotel Boy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Alger Horatio Jr)

with Hiram Bodley, an old man who was a hermit. The home
consisted of a cabin of two rooms, scantily furnished. Hiram
Bodley had been a hunter and guide, but of late years rheumatism
had kept him from doing work and Joe was largely the support of
the pair,--taking out pleasure parties for pay whenever he could,
and fishing and hunting in the between times, and using or
selling what was gained thereby.

There was a good deal of a mystery surrounding Joe's parentage.
It was claimed that he was a nephew of Hiram Bodley, and that,
after the death of his mother and sisters, his father had drifted
out to California and then to Australia. What the real truth
concerning him was we shall learn later.

Joe was a boy of twelve, but constant life in the open air had
made him tall and strong and he looked to be several years older.

He had dark eyes and hair, and was much tanned by the sun.
The rowboat had been out a good distance on the lake and a minute
before the shore was gained the large drops of rain began to
fall.

"We are going to get wet after all!" cried Ned, chagrined.

"Pull for all you are worth and we'll soon be under the trees,"
answered Joe.

They bent to the oars, and a dozen more strokes sent the rowboat
under a clump of pines growing close to the edge of the lake.
Just as the boat struck the bank and Ned leaped out there came a
great downpour which made the surface of Lake Tandy fairly
sizzle.

"Run to the lodge, Ned; I'll look after the boat!" shouted Joe.

"But you'll get wet."

"Never mind; run, I tell you!"

Thus admonished, Ned ran for the old hunting lodge, which was
situated about two hundred feet away. Joe remained behind long
enough to secure the rowboat and the oars and then he followed
his friend.

Just as one porch of the old lodge was reached there came a flash
of lightning, followed by a clap of thunder that made Ned jump.
Then followed more thunder and lightning, and the rain came down
steadily.

"Ugh! I must say I don't like this at all," remarked Ned, as he